HE HAS ARRIVED

William James Fisher was born at 4:08 pm on 9/28/06.
He is 6lbs 6ozs and 18.5 inches long
Both Mother and Baby are happy and healthy!

We are all looking forward to moving on to the next chapter in our lives, thank you to everyone who reads this blog and has provided encouragement to Rachel. She has sacrificed so much for each of our children and her dedication inspires me to be a better father. Rachel - I love you so much and I can’t wait to go on a walk with you, Kaylyn and William.

- Stephen

At home, no changes...I forgot to mention that when my Dr. took out my stitch I dialated to 3 cm. I don't think anything is going to happen anytime soon...my next Dr. appt is on Friday, guess we will just see where we are then.

OUCH!!! My God that stitch coming out hurt like hell...I had not one but two stitches, and the stitch is not what you (or I) would expect...it is a thick, black, almost plastic type of material...about 10 times the thickness of stitches you would get if you cut your hand or something. I was crying and sweating...Stephen was with me and I could tell he felt bad for me...I knew it would hurt...I guess I am just glad it is over? So now I am at home, I have been off of my medicine for about 10 hours, and I haven't noticed a real change in contractions except for a couple hours after my stitch came out. So who knows when this baby is going to come out...I am so ready for him to be out...but I have a feeling that he will just stay and stay and stay until I get even more crazy than I already am.

My mom is still here, but she threw out her back this morning...so Stephen is having to take care of her too. I guess if nothing happens with the baby in the next couple of days she will go home...bummer.

I can't believe that in less than 48 hours my stitch will be out and I will be off of my medicine. It is really a weird feeling, I mean, I want so bad to get up and get on with my life...but I am scared...especially of how my delivery will go, and what it will be like when I am at home and start to feel the true onset of labor...I mean I have been fighting pain for the past few weeks, and that has been scary, I am just afraid that I am going to wait too long to get to the hospital...I guess once the stitch is out, I just need to go in if I start to feel the same things that I have been feeling for the past few weeks, b/c I won't have the stitch to hold milli in there anymore. Also I am a little scared about milli coming before he is full term. Statistically he should be fine, but I guess there are no guarantees. He will be close to full term, it is such an internal conflict that I think about all the time...I want him out, but I don't, but I do...you get the picture. I guess he could stay in there after the stitch is out and I am off my medicine...which I guess could be good, but I will still have to lay on my couch until he comes b/c of my blood pressure. BOOO! While I am talking about being scared, I am scared off my rocker about the c-section thing...they show those flipping things on TV all the time, and I am like oh my gosh, I can't believe I am going to do that...so freaky...I reserve the right to change my mind and have him the old fashioned way at any point. My body, my decision. So those are my fears...I try not to think about them too much, but honestly, when you are just laying around, things tend to creep into your mind over and over again...or maybe that is me going crazy...whatever.

Ok, another non-stress test down...they scheduled me for another one next Friday, if I am still pregnant next Friday I think I will cry...I have just had enough of this laying down thing...anyways, milli is not stressed out, good for him. So my next appointment will be to have my cerclage removed on Monday...eeeekkkkkk...I sure hope it doesn't hurt too bad.

Stephen is going to the Aggie game tomorrow...his one last hoorah before baby boy comes and he is tied back down to the house...so hope he has fun...well it is time for my medicine again...just for the record only about 30 more hours of taking this medicine and then I will be FREE!!! Free from a racing heart and free to go into labor. Final days...can't believe that I am almost there...dang...

PS This is a picture of Kaylyn taking a nap...she sleeps with this Nemo stuffed animal as her pillow...so sweet...

Yesterday I went for my second non-stress test...milli is still not stressed out...which is good. I was gone pretty much all day for this test, it was annoying, but I guess it was reassuring. I have another non-stress test scheduled for tomorrow, I wish I didn't have to go, but I will go.

I am so pumped about Monday. I think I am most excited about not having to take this medicine any more! Oh gosh it will be so nice to not live by 3 hour increments...and have a normal heart beat? Wow, I am so excited...I am also excited about getting my stitch out, but I have heard this is quite painful, so I am not super excited about pain. Both Stephen and my mom are going with me to get the stitch out...

By the way my hand is looking alot better...it is not as red, and not raised, I think it will be another month or so until the redness is completely gone...I still cover it when I go to the doctor...just so I don't frighten anyone.

So other than all that not too much else to report...Kaylyn is getting her bottom molars, which is keeping her/us awake at night. She is not fussy at night, it is just like she can't sleep...last night she came into our room 4 different times...I think she was wandering around the house from 2-6am...she finally went to sleep in my mom's room around 6...what a punk.

Sept. 25th...yeah I know...I went to the doctor today thinking I was going to have to beg my doctor to do the c-section on the 29th, and instead she was like "can you hold on until Monday?" DANG...well the plan is not for her to actually do a c-section on Monday, she is going to take out my cerclage on Monday, and tell me to stop taking my medicine...which I am about 99% sure will send me into labor...soooo, once she takes the cerclage out, she said I can go home, but I am scared to go home...I wish she would just put me in the hospital so I would be in the right place when milli makes his appearance. All this is the plan IF my non-stress tests which are scheduled for this Wed and Friday come out ok...she wants to make sure all my contracting and cramping and blood pressure issues are not affecting milli. By the way, her estimates said milli is 6lb. 1 oz., which I think is a little high, I hope he is over 6 pounds when he comes out. So that is what is up with us...at the doctor my blood pressure was bouncing, and my fluid was around 11cm (I think it is supposed to be around 20 cm)...so I think all these factors are contributing to my doctor being like...it is time...please pray milli is just like a full term baby (he will be a few days before full term if he comes on Monday) and that my delivery is not scary...I can't even believe that this is almost over...I have been so worried about my own health that I haven't even had a chance to get excited that I am having another baby...am I having another baby? I am not so sure...I seriously think I might just be super bloated...

Another day down of laying on my couch...when I think about how long I have been laying on my couch (or in a hospital bed) I am somewhat amazed at myself. I think it is 110 days on strict bed rest now...whoa. My saying that keeps me going is, "when you must, you can"...b/c really do I have any say in the matter? I guess I could get up, but I would be endangering both milli and myself...so I must lay here, so I will. I can honestly say I am sick of laying here though...real sick of it...I go to the doctor tomorrow, and I hope that we can come up with a plan...and a date closer than 10/10, which is my current scheduled c-section...I am really looking forward to meeting milli, but I am so excited to not have to take medicine any more, and to not have to immediately lay down after a shower or going to the bathroom b/c my heart is pounding out of my chest...I mean, when I am laying down my heart is beating about 90 or so, so when I get up my heart is well in the 100's...it will be so nice to be able to shower longer than 4 mins...and I just can't wait to be useful again. Stephen spent all day trying to get our house clean...I just want to help! or to clean it by myself...I have already agreed that Stephen gets a few months off once I am able...

My friend Allison came and saw me on Sat...so Sat went by really fast, oh and then my friend Beth sent milli a present in the mail...mail is always exciting...I am expecting quite a few packages this week, which is a result of my total boredom last week...

My mom is coming tomorrow and staying until Sunday...unless I have milli, then she will be staying longer...but I guess only time will tell when this is going to end...my contractions are pretty strong, and I usually have about 4-8 contractions every hour...they usually aren't painful, but they are very strong...and when they are mixed with cramping they are painful...oh one other thing, which I guess is a good sign, my belly button finally popped out...which I take to mean that milli is still getting bigger in there. According to my calculations, he should weigh 5 lb 10 oz tomorrow when I go to the doctor...I will keep you posted.

I can't believe that Milli is going to be 35 weeks in approximately 10 hours (not like I am counting)...sweet little guy. I felt pretty crampy all morning, but now for whatever reason I feel a little better. I can find no rhyme or reason to what makes me feel bad...I just pray that the cramping is not harming little millimeter in any way. I bought him a jacket today from baby gap, and I bought Kaylyn two pairs of long sleeved pajamas...she came into our room last night freezing cold...probably why she woke up. Kaylyn is so sweet whenever she comes into our room, she snuggles in so tight to me...is it possible to love another baby as much as I lover her? I know it is.

Also, I have been trying to get ahead on paying all the bills, just in case milli decides to come sooner rather than later. I think that he will most likely join us on Sept 29th, which is when he will be 37 weeks old (this is full term)...that is two weeks from tomorrow...oh I pray I can make it that far for his sake...preferably without alot of pain, and ideally not in the hospital. Please keep those prayers coming...

Man I am almost to 35 weeks...only 2 more weeks until I will have a full term baby, and man I can't wait. My doctor's appointment on Monday was good, although I started crying b/c I want this to be over...I have been feeling alot of contractions/cramping especially from Sat-Monday...any other woman would have gone to the hospital, but I stuck it out...my doctor said if I have more than 4 hours of painful contractions I need to come in to at least have the baby monitored. She also said that after 35 weeks she wouldn't put me on mag (the IV medicine that stops contractions)...I am not real sure what that means, b/c if she doesn't put me on mag then I would be in pain...would she deliver me? Believe it or not I don't want to deliver that early...I would feel better delivering at 37 weeks...I am hoping at my next appt we can schedule the section for either Sept 29th or October 2nd...I would prefer to have him on the 2nd mainly b/c I think I will feel like a failure if he was born in a month that wasn't his due date month...but I guess if my doctor agrees to the 29th I would probably go for it...

So it is the same old same old with my hand. My friend Tammy had to take me yesterday to see ANOTHER dermatologist b/c Stephen had an important call. I wish I would have started out seeing this guy....I have been wasting my time seeing that other dermatologist...I think her practice is focused more on botox and cosmetic type things...so at my Dr. Appt on Monday I showed Dr Adam my hand, and she immediately got on the phone with the department head dermatologist of Baylor...so that is who I saw yesterday. He immediately said he thought he knew what it was, I can't remember the actual name of it, but it is some type of fungus...but a fungus that is difficult to see in cultures and biopsies...so I believe (I hope) that we might have a diagnosis that could possibly cure me...that would be just fabulous. The only thing that I can possibly imagine touching are some little flowers that Kaylyn picked for me back when I was in the hospital...it is a mystery...

So on another note I think we have a name for the baby besides milli...I think it is going to be William...only to be called either Will or William....it is not 100% sure, I would say more like 90% sure. The other front runner is Joshua...which I really like, but for some reason Will feels right...is that wired? Maybe when I see him his name will come to me...

It is Sunday, and I am reminded that I haven't been to church since April. I wish I could go. Hopefully God understands. Anyways, my mom left yesterday, and man do we miss her already. Kaylyn has asked for her like 10 times already. We miss her especially in the morning. Kaylyn wants to wake us up at like 7:00, but we would just say go find Emma (my mom) and Kaylyn would disappear for the rest of the morning...leaving us to sleep in...so glorious.

I go to the doctor tomorrow, Kaylyn has to come with us b/c her baby sitter is on vacation, should be interesting...Stephen is taking off tomorrow too. I really wish I could get up and clean my house and prepare for milli's arrival...but instead I just have to order poor Stephen around...he set the crib up in milli's room last night...maybe I will cheat and go put the bumper pads on it to make me feel like I am going to have a baby soon. I still feel the same way that I did when I was pregnant with Kaylyn, I don't actually believe that I have a baby inside of me...even though I feel the baby and see the baby on the sonogram...I don't believe it. I guess I will believe it soon enough...

Made my daily doctor's trip today, again to the dermatologist, where she removed the allergic reaction test, and gave me multiple shots into my hand to try and get rid of these things. It was a great time. So that brings my doctor's appointments this week to 3...awesome...

Good news though, I received my last 17-P shot today, thank God! I have been getting these shots since 16 weeks. They are basically progesterone shots that have been proven to prolong pregnancy in ladies like myself...they were quite uncomfortable, and I am so so so glad that I don't have to get any more of them. I remember when I started getting the shots back at 16 weeks...I thought, man there is no way I can get 18 more of these suckers...but I did...dang. Milli is 34 weeks tomorrow, I just can't believe it...Stephen actually started to move some stuff out of the guest room to make room for milli. I think he is going to even set up the crib next weekend...I just can't wait for this ordeal to be over. I hope milli is just so healthy, and I will just stare at him in awe...that will be a great day. Peace-

Non-stress test complete...and good news, milli is not stressed out (must be nice). The test consisted of me being hooked up to two monitors on my belly, one for contractions and one for milli's heartbeat...then I had a blood pressure cuff on, where they took my blood pressure every 15 mins, and then I had a little clicker that I had to push every time milli moved...I am sure I was quite the sight...oh and my hand was all wrapped up. The test lasted like an hour, and the results were good, I was told to keep laying down etc...and see my doctor on Monday.

On to the next story...went back to the damn dermatologist today...my hand is seriously disturbed. I now have an allergy test taped to my back...fabulous...it is about 12inches by 12 inches, and it has 20 different elements on this tape to see if I am allergic to any of them. The damn thing is crinkly and uncomfortable, and I can't get my stupid back wet for 2 days (ie no shower and in case you didn't know I can't take a bath b/c of my cerclage). The dermo says I have to be touching something or using some kind of product that is making my hand flare up again. I guess it did start to get worse again after I stopped covering it up...b/c it was looking better...so I thought I could get away with not covering it...but I have now resolved myself that I am going to leave my hand covered for at least the next month, regardless of what it looks like. It will probably cost me about $200 in gauze, but quite frankly I think it is worth it. I hope I don't turn into one of those weird people that always have gloves on...I have a new found respect for these people. I don't know if you have ever seen the people I am referring to. They are usually older people and they just wear gloves all the time, not b/c it is cold...just gloves 24/7...I am well on my way. I rule.

I have to thank my good friend Angela, who I probably haven't talked to for 4 months? She was kind enough to activate her cooking mother and take food over to my Dad and Mark and Granny while my mom is here trying her best to nurse me back to a somewhat stable state. I am lucky to have a friend I can call up and say..."ummm hey, I know I haven't talked to you in a decade...can you please take food to my family?" She is just that kind of friend...lucky me...

Me oh my...am I going to make it? I was up a good portion of the night last night with a terrible headache...which is becoming more and more common...I don't think it is related to my blood pressure, b/c I checked it in the middle of the night...I am just feeling really bad lately...I think I might have a sinus infection, but I am not sure b/c I have never had one before. I am going for the non-stress test today at 5:00, I think they are also going to run some tests on my hand, b/c it seriously looks like crap....it is like there are rings of fire around the original sores. The middle where the original sores were look alright, but there are now circles around the old stuff....I am seriously sick of my hand...Stephen bought me a stupid white glove to keep on it so that I don't stare at them all day...I JUST WANT MY LIFE BACK!!! I am so tired...tired of feeling like an imposter in my own body...

Where to begin, I know it has been a while since my post...which should signal that things have not been all good. Long story short I have been cramping and contracting alot since Tuesday, so I have been trying to settle things down by adjusting my medicine...I had been taking virtually none for about a week or so, but apparently my body did not appreciate that. I was almost certain that I was going into labor on Friday night, but after doubling my medicine things calmed down and I was able to get some sleep. By the way having a newborn is going to be a breeze compared to what I have to go through every night. I wake up almost every hour to either go to the bathroom, or to take some type of medicine..sometimes I only get 40 minute periods of sleep. On top of that Kaylyn will wander into our room at least every 3rd night...sometimes I am glad she comes in so I have some company during my sleepless nights.

So I went to the doctor on Friday, it was actually pretty good news. Milli now weighs 4lbs 13 oz, right on schedule of gaining 1 oz a day. Dr. Adam said that my fluid level was "better" which after giving much thought to why it would be better when I am doing the exact same thing I have been doing, I have decided it is me praying to St. Jude...I know, sounds kinda random, but my mom found on the internet that you should pray to St. Jude if you have low amniotic fluid. So I figured what the heck, and now my fluid level is "better"...I will take it. The only bad thing about my visit is that my blood pressure is jacked. It goes way up when I am up and way down when I am down (down is not bad, the spiking is bad). So my doctor ordered a non-stress test, where they test to see if the baby is being affected by my spiking blood pressure...only thing is that the test is done while I am laying down, so I predict that the test will come out fine...at least I hope it does. Also, my c-section date is now moved up...now it will be on October 5th (I think), although when I told the doctor I wanted to move it up b/c she is out of town that weekend, and I don't want anyone else to deliver me, she told her nurse she didn't think I would make it that long...she doesn't understand my luck though...I would probably go to 42 weeks, in pain the whole time...I think at my next doctors appointment I am going to even try to get her to move it up to Sept 29th, which is when I am 37 weeks...I am just pretty miserable...did I mention that my hand is totally getting bad again? Just add it to the list...So if my doctor agrees to the 29th, and if I make it that far, I only have 3 weeks and 5 days of my own personal hell left.

My mom is coming in today, and staying until Saturday, hopefully her presence calms my overactive uterus down, and milli will stay put until at least 35 weeks (which is my next goal for myself, then comes 37, which I pray will be my due date)…so in closing, if you feel the urge to pray to St. Jude for my amniotic fluid (actually milli’s amniotic fluid), I welcome the prayers. Peace-